Schiergen out to prove German form again

Tuesday 31 July 2012

By Geoffrey Riddle

The Germans have proved this season that their racing is of the highest class and Danedream’s trainer is out to prove the point once again with Girolamo in the bet365 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Tuesday.

Peter Schiergen saddled Danedream to edge out Nathaniel in the thrilling King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the German filly was just the latest to plunder high-profile prizes on these shores.

Energizer was bought by Godolphin after winning the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Gracia Directa, who could run in Friday’s Oak Tree Stakes, took the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York a fortnight ago.

Fresh from winning Ascot’s mid-summer highlight, jockey Andrasch Starke combines with Schiergen to ride Girolamo, who was third in the German Derby. That form was franked on Sunday when the winner, Pastorius, took the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchrennen, won in the past 12 years by British raiders Pressing, Linngari, Kaieteur, Kutub and Greek Dance.

Schiergen said: "His work has been good and I'm happy with him. I am not sure how good the other horses are, but his run in the German Derby is good form, as the winner won again on Sunday."

He added: "A little bit of rain would be better for him, but I think the ground will be OK."

A day ahead of Frankel's next appearance in the Sussex Stakes, his younger brother Noble Mission will be attempting to make his mark.

Much like Born To Sea, the the younger brother of Sea The Stars Noble Mission has been burdened by his more illustrious sibling. The Galileo colt has enjoyed a decent campaign and was only just outshone by stablemate Thomas Chippendale in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

"It's a very competitive race but he has progressed well since Ascot," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.

"He's been running consistently well throughout the year and hopefully he can now step up to winning a Group race."

Godolphin hope Encke proves to be a Ladbrokes St Leger horse on just his second start of the season.

The Godolphin colt had looked a potential Classic prospect last autumn but did not reappear until very recently at Sandown.

"Encke is really nicely bred. He is a colt who won his maiden at Newmarket last year and then was off the track for a while,” Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manager, said. “He won a handicap at Sandown and I know he was widely expected to win in the press but actually he was a little bit short of work and ran very green.

"He could be a Ladbrokes St Leger type of horse but he has got to prove himself."

Ed de Gas and Minimise Risk are others holding Leger entries while John Dunlop simply plans to test the water with Farhaan.

A capable two-year-old, he has only been seen once this term when fourth, a couple of places behind Noble Mission, in a competitive Listed race at Newmarket in May.

Marcus Hosgood, Dunlop's racing secretary, said: "Farhaan ran very well at Newmarket in the spring but we've been frustrated subsequently by the weather and the soft ground.

"We're stepping him up in trip and it will be interesting to see if he'll stay."